National Parks Department Responds to Accommodation Quality Complaints

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation issued a statement on August 5 responding to criticism from Weerayut Teerapattananont, a special committee member reviewing the 2570 fiscal year budget bill, who described national park accommodations as "severely poor" based on a visit roughly four years ago. The department acknowledged the concerns and committed to improving operations, addressing issues the legislator raised including early lights-out times at 8 p.m., poor bedding quality, water shortages, weak internet signals, and suggestions to privatize management through public-private partnerships.

The department clarified that overnight stays at the Similan Islands National Park were permanently discontinued in October 2561 (2018) through an official gazette announcement to address waste and wastewater problems affecting the environment. The park shifted to day-trip-only tourism to focus on natural resource restoration and sustainable marine ecosystem protection. The Huayang staff bungalow on Koh Miang, which previously served tourists from 2551 onwards, was repurposed after the closure to house only park officials conducting fieldwork and government operations, and is not available to the general public.

Regarding infrastructure limitations in remote forest and island areas, the department explained that restrictions on electricity, water, and communications are managed under geographical constraints using renewable energy systems like solar panels and scheduled power cycles for safety and energy conservation. The department also acknowledged the comparison to other staff facilities and committed to improving standards for both staff accommodations and tourist service areas while remaining mindful of wildlife protection needs.